Jim was introduced to golf at age 10 and soon proved himself a natural at the game. He played his early days at Cedar Hill Golf Course with Pros Bill Goldsworthy and Bruce Rands and remembers that they were always getting the youngsters out on the course and made sure they were practising. A couple of years later, Jim became a member at Uplands where Don Billsborough was the Pro. Jim credits having access to both courses as crucial to the development of his golf skills, competitiveness and friendships.

By the age of 17, Jim was having success in the Junior ranks, winning the Canadian Junior Championships in 1975 and again in 1977 and even giving the pros a run at such competitions as the Island Open and Cowichan Open. In 1978, at just 18, Jim turned professional himself, attending the Canadian Tour School in Toronto (accompanied by his mother as he was too young to book a hotel or rent a car on his own). By age 19, he had his first important victory when he won the title at the 1979 BC Open at Glen Meadows. In the five-year period from 1978 to 1982, he captured that title two more times, along with three second place finishes.

Jim was introduced to the Asian Tour in 1982 and, for the next eight years, spent 10 weeks in spring in Asia and his summers on the Canadian Tour. In 1984, the Canadian Professional Golf Association Championship led to an invitation to the European Tour. Jim was able to gain exempt status for a period of five years and, with wife Jill and 6-month-old son Ryan, moved to Europe for the duration.

In 1993, Jim returned to the Asian Tour for another eight years, capturing the Indian Open in 1995. He again spent summers on the Canadian Tour where he has six career victories and is second on the all-time money list. Jim qualified for the Nationwide Tour of the PGA in 2000 and his victory at the New Zealand Open in 2006 gained him a card for a season on the American PGA Tour in 2007.

Jim’s successes through the 90s and 00s led to his inclusion in 1993 and 1996 on the three-man Canadian team to the famous Dunhill Cup, billed as the “World Team Championships” and contested by a field of 16 teams on the historic Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. He also represented Canada at two World Cup competitions for two-man teams, playing with Rick Gibson in China in 1995 and with Mike Weir in Barbados in 2006.

2011 saw Jim join the Champions Tour for golfers over 50 years of age. With his wife often caddying for him, he continued with the Champions Tour until 2019. Jim has many good memories of time spent with great players and says his many years as a successful golf professional have been a wonderful experience.